Beats & Brotherhood

I met up with Sammy and Omar in Pasadena on the last night I was in Southern California for a photo shoot. We’d made plans to do so the night before while we were grabbing a few beers in Long Beach at the infamous new Ballast Point Brewing location, and we’d decided it was appropriate to, again, meet over a couple beers. The first time I saw Omar and Sammy DJ together, it was at Jackson Tree back in March, and their set was insanely fun. Only after catching up with them and introducing myself would I find out the tracks were (mostly) unreleased originals. Present Day, We ordered 3 tall cans and headed to the patio at Doghaus in Pasadena, and Omar and I discussed our favorite emo records, including but not limited to The Black Parade and Brand New’s Daisy. One of the reasons we hit it off so well is our appreciation of the emotional alternative/punk scene that was popular for most of the 2010’s. Funny thing is, it wasn't until Omar made a comment to Sammy about what they used to listen to when they were younger that I asked how long the two had known each other. They both laughed, kind of like they thought I was joking and stayed quiet a second. "Dude," More laughter. "We're brothers."

2C B is the moniker these two brothers created as they began their journey into electronic music. Having written plenty of guitar centric music for various Alternative and Metal projects throughout their younger years, creativity and teamwork are nothing new to the brothers in 2C B, but they do admit the transition from writing music on an instrument to composing music on a computer was a bit challenging for them. You’d never know it! Each song the duo makes is packed with energy and they’ve already made a name for themselves in the Los Angeles dance scene with their crazy sets. They recently released a debut single on seveneves records earlier this summer, and even more recently they contributed their brand new heater “90” to the Jackson Renegade House EP. They’ll also be contributing their track “Up & Down” for Faded Morgana Records first official release, ever!

The half-lit alleys and dark corners of Pasadena felt like a perfect backdrop to catch these guys in their essence. The two wear Oni masks (troll-like creatures from Japanese Folklore) which are known to represent invincibility in tales. This shrouds the two in a bit of mystery, casting the aesthetic of the whole project into a seemingly dark tone. This, however, couldn’t be less true. “We want people to see the masks and know it’s time to get fucked up,” The duo confirms the masks are here to stay. “We want to set the vibe before you even hear the music. The Oni Masks really represent what we’re all about”. With electronic influences like Drezo, Rezz, and Malaa, it’s obvious the two are on their way to bringing dark vibes in conjunction with heavy basses and hypnotic rhythms, blending it all together beautifully to create something that is unique to them. “We wanna write some ‘fuck you’ music that just slaps, ya know?” Omar laughs.

Sammy makes a joke about wishing Senses Fail hadn't strayed from their sound so much over the years as he buckles the mask onto his face. The Brothers reassure me plenty of times they plan on bringing what they learned from bands like Underoath, Suicide Silence, Saosin and Atreyu on their shoulders as they shape their influences to create their own, fresh sound. We take a series of photos in an alley underneath some yellow lights, and then a few more fun ones by some dimly lit stairs. Something I love about these guys is their positive attitudes and hilarious sense of humor. We were laughing and having a good time for the entire shoot. The time I've spent with these brothers has been a treat, and since they are now deeply wound into the fibers of the Jackson Collective (all rise!), I'm sure we'll be seeing (and hearing) plenty more from the duo in the near future.